Skin-headed musical instrument.



L. PiAZZ/M' SKIN HEADED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, I917.

' Patented July 31, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO PIAZZA, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

'sKIN-HEADED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed lanuary 5, 1917.

To-cZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, LORENZO PIAZZA, a

citizenof the United States, and resident of type having a head formed ofskin, an object of this invention being to provide means whichwill increase the volume of sound-of the instrument and also increase the resonance thereof.

To this and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter de scribed, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through an instrument constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the instrument;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section; and

Fig. 4 is a view with the bottom plate removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the neck and 2 the rim, the handle being provided with a brace bar 3 extending through one wall of the rim and removably secured to the latter. A skin head 4 is stretched over the rim 2 and is held in place by any suitable means such as a slip ring 5.

With the end in view of subjecting the head to a uniform tension or stretching action, a ring 6 is provided, said ring preferably being hollow and having openings 7 at intervals on the inner wall of said ring. Preferably the ring is supported by a pluralitty of equidistant rods 8 having their opposite ends pointed, one end of each rod resting loosely in a pocket in the ring and the other end resting loosely in a pocket in an anchoring device 9 arranged centrally of the ring. This anchoring device is preferably adjustable toward and from the plane of the head 4 upon a frame 10 which is, in this instance, secured to the cross bar 3.

This frame 10 is preferably rectangular in form and surrounds the cross bar 3, two opposite sides thereof having clamping screws 11 adjustable therein to engage opposite sides of the cross bar so as to pre- "Specifica'tion of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Serial No. 140,728.

vent lateral movement on the cross bar and to adapt the frame to cross bars of different widths. The anchoring device 9 is preferably supported on this frame 10 by an ad justing screw 11 which not only tends to force the ring 6 against the head 1 but also draws the frame 10 into firm engagement with the upper surface of the cross bar.

It is preferredalso to iemploy 'a resonance plate 12 supported by the frame 10 in-spaced relation to the skin head at and centrally of the ring 6. This resonance plate is preferably formed of tempered brass and is secured to the frame 10 by providing the :plate with a depressed portion 13 seated against a boss 14 on the frame 10 and held to said boss by a screw or fastener 15.

To prevent muftling the sound issuing from the open side of the ring, there is provided a back which in this instance, comprises a metallic plate 16 having radial lugs 17 projecting from the periphery thereof and secured to the rim 2 by screws or other fasteners 18, thus causing the edges of the plate to be spaced from the rim 2 as at 19 to provide openings through which the sound may issue. A central opening 20 may also be provided in the plate for the issuance of sound, and this opening 20 may also permit an instrument to be engaged with the screw or adjusting device 11 for increasing or decreasing the tension on the head 4:.

According to this invention, the vibrations of the head 4 are received by the resonance plate 12 and given a metallic sound. The vibrations of the head are increased in intensity or volume by the stretching produced by the head engaging ring 6, and these vibrations are transmitted to this ring which, being hollow, issues them through the openings 7 in a direction to further affect the resonance plate 12. The sounds within the rim 2 issue from the latter by way of the openings 19 and 20 and, in this way, are not deadened by contact with the clothes of the user of the instrument.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a skin headed musical instrument having a rim, a skin head stretched over the rim and a brace bar extending from one side of the rim to the other; a ring engaging the head within the rim, a frame engaging the brace bar, a plurality of rods having their ends detachably engaging the head-engaging ring, and an anchoring device adjustable on said frame and having the other ends of the rods detachably engaged therewith.

2. In combination with a skin-headed musical instrument having a rim, a skin head stretched over the rim, and a brace bar extending from one side of the rim to the other; a frame detachably engaged with the brace bar, a ring supported by the frame and engaging the head within the rim, and a circulsu' resonance plate supported by the frame independently of the ring, concentric with the latter and in spaced relation to the ring and the skin head.

3. In combination with a skin-headed musical instrument having a rim and a skin head stretched thereover; a hollow ring engaging said head in spaced relation to the rim, the ring having openings therein.

4. In combination with a skin-headed musical instrument having a rim and a skin head stretched thereover; a hollow ring engaging said head in spaced relation to the rim, the ring having openings therein on the inner side thereof, and a circular resonance plate arranged in the plane of the ring in spaced relation to the head and the ring.

5. In combination with a skin-headed musical instrument having a rim, a skin head stretched thereover and a brace bar connecting opposite sides of the rim; a frame surrounding said brace bar, a resonance plate secured to said frame on the inner side of the brace bar, an anchoring device adjust ably secured to the frame on the opposite side of the brace bar, a plurality of rods each having an end detachably engaging the anchoring device, and a ring bearing against the head within the rim and detachably engaged by the rods.

6. In combination with a skin-headed musical instrument having a rim and a skin head stretched thereover; a flat circular back for said head of less diameter than the rim having projections at its edge in a plane therewith secured to the rim and providing openings between them.

LORENZO PIAZZA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (1. 

